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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Weston schoolteachers are double dipping

A Broward County Schools internal audit uncovered that several teachers at a South Florida school were pocketing National Parent Teacher Association funds for extracurricular activities during school hours while also collecting regular wages.

The principal and PTA chapter of Manatee Bay Elementary School are being investigated in connection to Club 2:05, an afterschool club run by the PTA. According to the group's letterhead, it is "not an aftercare program," which separates it from the district's afterschool programs.

Some parents pay more than $1,000 to enroll one child for eight weeks. According to Club 2:05 documents, the fees "can be paid by cash, check made payable to Manatee Bay PTA or by credit card."

Several parents said, however, that the club does not provide them with a receipt for their payments. "We don't receive a receipt," said parent Liliana Skalla.

According to the audit, the school's PTA chapter does not issue receipts for some transactions for Club 2:05. The audit report reads in part, "When receipts are not used, there is a lack of accountability, making it impossible to confirm whether monies collected were deposited.

Manatee Bay principal Heather Hedman-Devaughn has been notified of the audit, and she's familiar with the process. According to a School Board letter, she was audited in 200 while she was the principal at Lauderdale Manors Elementary. The inventory audit was conducted after items like computers and a piano went unaccounted for.

Upset parents took to the Internet to voice their disapproval on a blog.